Sabine Pilots Association Opens New HQ

The Sabine Pilots Association on Monday formally opened its new headquarters located in Port Arthur, Texas

The new structure is designed and built to enable the Sabine Pilots to handle the growth and challenges of expanding shipping demands on their waterway.

Present at the opening ceremony were some 500 maritime community stakeholders as well as elected and appointed governmental and port area leaders. Speakers were Captain Charles A. Tweedel, President of the Sabine Pilots, and Father Sinclair Oubre' of the Port Arthur Seafarer Center and Apostleship of the Sea, who delivered the blessing.

The 9,716-square-foot building features a covered lobby/entrance, a 30- by 38-foot conference room, an executive conference room, a library/chart room, five offices, nine bunk rooms, an exercise/locker room and covered parking. Adjacent to the building is a helipad for future use in transporting pilots and is also available to the U.S. Coast Guard and a nearby hospital.

Sabine Pilots currently number 31 pilots, with the group training 15 more Deputy and Apprentice pilots. The Pilots serve the shipping industry and the public ports of Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, and Sabine as well as the private oil terminals and the industrial complex of southeast Texas.